Doors to Wisdom
by Teleri Pendaren
Summary: Preconceived notions are the locks on the door to wisdom – quote by Merry Browne
1. Prologue

Title: Doors to Wisdom

Author: Pendaren  
Summary: Preconceived notions are the locks on the door to wisdom – quote by Merry Browne

Spoilers: Red Sky

Category: Action, Adventure, Angst

Pairing: Joshica, and a mystery pair

Rating: PG-13

Archive: LJ. If anyone else wants it go for it, just tell me so I can visit.  
Disclaimer: They don't belong to me, not even in my wildest dreams; or so the men in the white coats with the cups of colorful pills tell me.  
Authors Notes: This fic is dedicated to jdphoenix and darkeyedwolf for having the courage to step up and say they liked Joshica. The plots have been rattling around in my brain for a while but I wouldn't have been brave enough to write it if I thought I was alone in my Joshica leanings.

Also Happy Birthday elinor-godwin; since you also said you like the pair, hope this makes your day.

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PROLOGUE**

She fingered the little sphere as she stared out into space. Her emotions were at war within her and she couldn't concentrate on the task at hand. The sleep deprivation didn't help either. She barely got any shuteye in the past few days; the image of Joshua's death haunted her. It wasn't like she has never killed anybody, she was FBI after all and she has discharged her weapon countless times in the line of duty. Most were warning shots that never drew blood, a dozen or so were injuring contacts and a handful were fatal. Killing three humans in her lifetime wasn't something to brag about but it meant that death didn't get to her as much. Most people who wear the uniform; be it police, FBI, ATF, or military, are haunted by their first kill but become immune to some extent to the emotional turmoil connected to it. They are prepared for the consequences every time they pull the trigger. Even the guilt at having injured an innocent person didn't weigh on her as much as this. So why was she so affected by Joshua?

After all she has killed a few V's and has never batted an eye about their deaths. Sure she balked slightly at Dale's death but she had eight years with him to mourn. His death still held a human element because of their past together but his betrayal and her knowledge of his alien origins made it easy to push it away. The V she stabbed on the other hand didn't even rate the sympathy she affords rats she has poisoned or trapped. To her these alien invaders were evil. They lie, they killed Georgie's family, at the very least they desecrated bodies and may have out right killed those people to frame the 5th column for the shuttle deaths; they were turning her own son against her for God sake. In her book that made them evil. Sure Ryan was helping them but she couldn't get past his alien origins either. Ever since she met him she saw him as a tool, like a criminal turned state witness. They help your cause but they aren't good people. People like that are someone you tolerate but not care much about. Add her resentment that Georgie died to help him escape and anyone in her head could see she held no love for the Lizards.

So why was she dwelling? Sure Joshua was 5th column but he was still a V. He probably had his own agenda, his own set of secrets. She barely knew him and yet his death haunted her. His eyes pleading for her to pull the trigger always flashed in her head when she closed her eyes.

Erica threw the comm device against the wall and watched it shatter.

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	2. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE**

Joshua crouched behind a pillar hoping Erica would get off from work soon. His whole body shook with pain. Marcus had spent the past week trying to pick his brain for twenty-year-old information. The torture had only inspired him to grab his old data cylinders before he escaped.

His resurrection had not been at the behest or knowledge of Anna but for Marcus' own twisted machinations. He had been lucky that Marcus had his own agenda. Not lucky to be tortured, that had been quite painful, but lucky because his escape could go without a battalion of men hunting him down.

He had encountered Erica's car at the FBI building parking lot but it was locked so he hid himself behind one of the structural columns in hopes that he wouldn't pass out before she arrived. His right hand was still bleeding from under the bandage he had applied in a hurry. He tried to tighten it with his teeth when he heard footsteps.

His hands throbbed as he stood still and waited.

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"I'll have that report on your desk bright and early tomorrow morning," Erica called out as she exited the elevator. Paul nodded as the doors closed.

She fingered her keys in her hand as she walked over to her car. Like most women, parking lots always put her on edge. She had personally seen too many cases that started and ended badly in them to not have reservations.

"Erica?" She barely heard her name; the speaker almost whispered it.

"Who's there?" She turned around and blinked as Joshua limped out from behind her car. The image of her killing him flashed vividly and she almost gasped in shock. "You're alive!"

"I need your help," Joshua reached his good hand out to touch her arm and passed out.

"Damn it," Erica cursed under her breath as she assessed the damage. His hand was bleeding even from under a bandage and there was dried blood on his uniform. She quickly scrambled to get him in her back seat and drove him home.

The house was empty, Tyler having already moved up to the ship for the Live Aboard Program made it so. She parked her car and opened the back door. She tapped Joshua on the cheek in hopes that he would rouse without resorting to a slap. "Joshua?"

"Erica?"

"Let's get you inside," she gestured to her house. He slowly rose and walked inside. She maneuvered him to the couch in the living room and sat him down. She walked off and returned with several things stacked in a pile in her hands. "We should start by changing that bandage."

He gritted his teeth as she unwound the bloody cloth from his hand. She saw that he was missing his thumb and the top half of his index finger. He weakly reached for it. "I need you to grab hold of my finger," Joshua told her.

"What?" Erica questioned.

"I have to perform Autotomy. It won't heal properly this way. I need to detach it lower or I won't have full motor control when it regenerates. The old muscles conflict with the new and sometimes dexterity is lost."

Erica grabbed hold of his finger and held it as he concentrated and pulled his hand away. It creeped her out but she bandaged him up and handed him a clean shirt, Quantico emblazoned on the front. "Are there any other injuries?"

"I believe the rest are just bruises I received during my escape."

"Need anything else?"

"Heat?"

"I'll raise the thermostat."

"Thank you." Joshua gave a small smile as he nodded off.

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The morning light filtered in as Joshua awoke. He rummaged through his pocket and used the re-generator on his hand. His biology could have done it in a few weeks but he was in a hurry to grow his finger and thumb back. He also needed the machine to maintain his human skin as that he couldn't grow on his own.

"Morning," Erica walked over, having slept in the chair to keep an eye on him. "Need help re-bandaging?"

"I won't need one, it is being mended."

"That quickly?" She took his hand and inspected it. Both his thumb and index finger were 3/4 complete; the green digits glinted in the sun.

"The technology accelerates our normal biology. I just need a few more passes and my hand will be fully healed and covered."

Erica extended her other hand out for the device. "May I?"

Joshua placed it in her hand and guided it properly. "The device accelerates the bodies normal healing capacity one thousand fold, even the human tissue. My fingers must be fully healed before we can begin on the human skin."

"It could re-grow a human limb?"

"It could conceivability reattach one but the human body can't naturally grow a new limb, so no."

The machine hummed on the fourth pass and she nearly dropped it. "We have to stop, the power source needs to recharge," Joshua informed her.

"You will be fine like this?" Erica raised his hand to eye level. Though his finger was completely healed, the thumb was missing the claw and neither had human skin.

He wiggled them to show her. "Full motor control."

"Did you want something to eat? You probably need a dose of protein after that healing."

"That would be appreciated." Joshua replied as he followed her into the kitchen.

"Bacon or sausage? I have both."

"Which ever you prefer to prepare."

"Fried eggs okay then?"

Joshua nodded and sat down. He methodically touched each finger to his thumb and made a fist. He continued his exercise in silence while breakfast was made. Before long the plates were ready and placed on the table. Erica handed him a fork and he reached for it, his claw grazed her hand. She dropped the utensil and immediately apologized. "Sorry, I wasn't expecting..."

"Do you have any gloves? I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"That's okay. I'm not uncomfortable, it was just an unexpected sensation is all."

Joshua nodded but switched the fork to his left hand anyways. He placed his right in his lap out of her line of sight and moved the conversation to her work as they ate. When they were done she gave him some money for him to order pizza for lunch and left.

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Erica walked into work on edge. Last night she had slept without a single nightmare and she was glad Joshua was alive but the reminder of what he was had thrown her a bit. He had assured her the hand would be complete when she returned and she hated herself that that information gave her a bit of relief. "I guess I'm xenophobic after all," she said under her breath as she walked to her desk.

Unfortunately Joshua's arrival, and the good night's sleep, meant she didn't in fact have the report finished as she promised. She had turned in an old computer file that was corrupted to buy her some time and she sat behind her terminal to finish the real thing. Lucky for her it only took two hours to have it done. She was a quarter through her new assignment when her boss knocked.

"I hope you have a back-up of this," Paul Kendrick held the disk out. "The file won't open. I figured it would be easier to see if you have a copy than going to find a tech to read it.

"Around me, back-ups are a must," She handed him a pen drive and smiled. "This one should be good."

She turned her attention back to her new assignment as he left. Apparently many Anti-V groups were popping up after the Red Sky incident. Not everyone was buying their 'Oops, sorry to have accidentally polluted your atmosphere but here we fixed it' excuse. This one was violent and had kidnapped several humans whom they determined were collaborators. There were no known deaths but plenty of hospitalizations and a few dozen still missing. She had already determined that this particular group wasn't worth integrating into the 5th column so she actually did her job and researched how to catch them.

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Joshua woke from his recovery trance and checked the regeneration device. His trance had healed his bruises so he wouldn't have to use artificial means to feel better. He still needed to regenerate his human skin but the machine was still charging. He turned his attention to the data cylinders to pass the time and refresh his memory. He had recovered them from his quarters before escaping because if Marcus wanted the information he couldn't leave them where they could be found. The raw statistics were displayed before him.

Forty years ago Joshua had been a part of a project ordered by Anna's mother. She had tasked him with experimenting on humans in an attempt to increase the military population. Though workers and scientists could reproduce it is only through ovoviviparity and this limited their number. Another limitation is the resulting offspring were always workers. A queen can produce and lay large numbers of workers eggs in a single mating cycle. Queens also were the only ones capable of producing soldiers, scientists and queens. The lather two were limited as the queen could only conceive a limited number and had to bind them to mature properly.

The old queen had been intent on annihilating another civilization close to their home world but they fought hard and she couldn't biologically increase her warriors to a strength that would win the war. To make things worse her body made the decision to bind a queen egg inside her on its own.

Joshua had spent over twenty years on the experiment and the research was a highly guarded secret because the ability to breed warriors, scientists and queens was what kept the matriarch in power. The result of the experiments made it even more dangerous.

Forty years ago, hundreds of women over a five years times span were chosen and hybrids were created through genetic manipulations. A third completed gestation, the majority from human female eggs, but upon birth did not have accelerated growth. To make matters even worse they also looked completely human.

They had been hidden on a research ship for over fifteen years in hopes that they would grow into warriors but they never expressed the attributes. When it was discovered that they were capable of conceiving not only warriors and workers but also scientists and queens when interbreed naturally, Joshua had been ordered to kill them. It was those deaths that lead to his first human emotion, remorse.

He was told to refine the process and attempt a second wave of hybrids almost twenty years ago. The project was abandoned before they could be born and harvested.

Anna never knew about the original research and when she took over she initiated her own plans for earth. It was back then that she sent her first wave to hid among humans.

The files held details on which genes were manipulated and which humans had which combinations. Which were successful and which were abysmal failures.

He scrolled through the files of the humans he experimented on and an entry made him drop the contraption.

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	3. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

After encrypting the files with an Ojavan cipher, deleting the translation matrix and password protecting the activation codes he removed the power sources and placed the cylinders in the pantry. The power spheres he pocketed along with his re-generator and exited the house. He didn't know if he could face her now. The guilt at what he had done made his stomach turn. He kept his hand in his pocket as he walked down the street.

The re-generator needed at least another hour to recharge and he wished the power source were compatible with the older power spheres in his pocket.

The streets changed from residential to commercial as he headed towards the city. He needed to get near the embassy; hoping Samuel found a way to clear himself. He couldn't ask Erica for any more help now that he knew what had been done to her, what he had done to her, in the past.

Though he wasn't wearing his uniform, a few people kept staring at him as he passed. After all he had been seen with Anna on several occasions. He needed to get himself a disguise soon or he would be back in the clutches of Marcus or Anna. He bought a pair of gloves from a little shop and moved quickly.

He ducked into an alley to avoid more people and ended up being jumped by three humans. He didn't want to kill them so he didn't fight them off with his full capacity. What did him in was a lucky hit at his newly healed hand, which was sensitive and tender. He paused and that was enough for one of them to get under his guard and knock him out.

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Erica glanced at the clock. It was lunchtime and she decided to make her way home instead of grabbing a bite near the office. It would mean less time to actually eat but she wanted to make sure Joshua was okay.

She found the note on her refrigerator. It said he went to see a contact to get some papers and Intel. He thanked her and wished her well.

Erica thought she should go find him at first. But really, she thought, he was no longer an insider. What could he offer the 5th column now? He would have to hide on earth and cut all tied to his people, at least the ones on the ship, if he wanted to stay alive and free. On the other hand, maybe she could get a few anatomy lessons out of him if he was willing. After all, know your enemy means you know their strengths and weaknesses. She grabbed an apple, a roll of crackers and a jar of peanut butter and headed out the door.

She called the office and said she had a lead to follow in the field. She parked across from the embassy and spooned the peanut butter into her mouth. She hoped to catch a visual of Joshua meeting his contact but she finished her apple and roll of crackers without seeing him.

The spoon dangled from her mouth when she saw Agent Malik walk out from the embassy. Erica closed the jar and brushed the crumbs from her lap. She got out, tossed the spoon on the seat before locking the car, and followed Sarita up the street and down an alley. She kept her distance until she heard a shout. Erica broke into a sprint and saw three men attack the woman. "FBI, freeze."

Agent Malik turn and scooped up a garbage can lid to use as a weapon. Erica tried to aim a non-lethal shot at one of the men but the gun was knocked out from her hands by a fourth man who came up behind her. Her head hit the ground as she fell and she blacked out.

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Joshua watched two men bring an unconscious Erica and another woman into his cell and close the door again. His hands and legs were cuffed behind his back so he shuffled on his knees towards her to make sure she was okay. The other woman stirred first and he got to see who it was for the first time.

"Traitor," she said, which told Joshua enough. Since the humans were told that 5th column were all humans he knew from that one word that this woman was one of his own kind. He was about to retort when Erica stirred.

"Are you alright Ma'am?" He asked her. He glanced over at the other woman to let her know they were not alone.

"Joshua?" Erica asked confused, not catching the gesture to be careful.

"Yes, we met at a healing center during the Hobbs-Parker case." He turned and addressed the other woman. "Are you okay, Miss?"

"I'm fine. I'm Agent Malik, I work for the FBI," the woman feigned that she had no clue who or what he was. "Who are these people and what do they want?"

"This must be the terrorist cell that I'm tracking. They attack and kidnap anyone they see as supporting V's. I guess we are targets because, well, head of the 5th column task force, member of the Visitor Threat Assessment Joint Task Force, and a V. They see the 5th column task force as collaborators and the VTA as an entity that betrayed it's founding principles since they thought it was suppose to check to see if the V's were a threat to humans not to stop any threats by humans against the V's. Unfortunately, I told the office I was in the field so they won't be looking for me today. How about you Agent Malik?" Erica questioned.

"I was leaving for lunch, depending on how long we've been out, they should be calling my cell to find out where I am by now."

The door opened and one of the men unceremoniously dragged Malik out. The door slammed shut quickly before either Joshua or Erica could react. "What was that about?"

"She is a loyal subject of Anna's," he whispered in her ear. "She knows what I am and I didn't want her to connect you to me."

"I should have known. She called our message a rallying cry when the official story was it was a software glitch. She also was one of the names that could have deleted the pictures from the shuttle incident."

"Can you reach into my pocket? They didn't empty them so we may have a way out of here."

"I think so," she leaned into him and almost fell over. She did manage to grab a sphere.

"Tap it against my cuffs. Try to get as much of the gel on the metal as you can."

Erica maneuvered herself to the proper position and cracked the sphere like an egg against the cuffs. She felt a cold sensation radiate and quickly dropped it. She wiped her hand on her pants.

"Now spit on it. It reacts with water and becomes corrosive."

His gloves were ruined but he was free. He was more careful and freed Erica without damaging her hands. He massaged her wrists to help return circulation to her hands. She didn't even flinch as his exposed fingers made contact.

A few moments later they heard footsteps and ambushed the man who opened the door. They subdued the rest of the men on the premise but couldn't find Malik anywhere. When they exited the building they found themselves an hour's drive away from home and no vehicles on site.

They made their way to the tree line and began walking. "Hopefully we find the road quickly and can hitch a ride." Erica tried to strike up a conversation but wasn't looking where she was going and tripped.

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	4. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

Erica came to in Joshua's lap, having lost consciousness again.

"Good, you are awake. You have been out for several hours."

"What time is it?"

"I'm not sure, the sun has already set if that helps," he brushed a strand of hair out of her face and helped her sit up.

"You're all healed!" Erica said surprised, having noticed his hand no longer felt scaly.

"I also healed your head, you had a few cuts on your forehead and a concussion."

"Did anyone try to hunt us down while I was out?"

"I heard a vehicle pass by a few times, there is a dirt road running along the edge here, so I hid us behind this tree here."

"Good thinking, lets see if we can make it out of here."

Joshua helped her up and she brushed the dirt from her pants.

They found the road easily and flagged down a sheriff when he patrolled by. He gave them a lift to town where Erica called the incident in and reported Agent Malik missing. They told her to sit tight and sent a car to get her back to the city.

They waited in a diner for their ride and ordered some food. They talked softly over dinner so as not to draw attention.

"So how are we going to do this? They don't know that you are 5th column. Once we arrive at the office they will probably contact the ship thinking you still work there." Erica spoke first.

"But we can't just keep me out of this. When Malik is found she will know you lied to protect me. We can't have her reporting in that you helped me. If going back means protecting your identity then your life is worth it."

"I won't let that happen again. That is **not** an option."

"I could say I already contacted the ship and that I am to return as soon as the debriefing is over. I'll go into hiding. If they follow up Anna will just lie and say I'm busy. She still doesn't want humans to know there are non-human elements resisting her."

"After what happened you are going to need an escort. We will just have to figure out a way to get me assigned to be the one to drop you off. Anna will think you gave me the slip." Erica pointed to the food. "You should be eating. You haven't had lunch or dinner."

Joshua finished his meal and reached for his milkshake, tasting it for the first time. "This is delicious. Creamy and sweet and tangy at the same time."

"I've never really thought about the wonders of it before," she took a sip from his straw to taste, having finished her coke already.

"This is actually quite good. Probably homemade."

"It is that, Honey," the waitress in her seventies said. "Made with homemade ice cream. Will that be all?"

"Do you offer a small? I'd hate to order a regular one because it will probably go to waste as I'm nearly full and our ride should be here soon but I do want a little more and I don't want to end up sharing his."

"Don't worry honey, our food may be old fashioned here, but we aren't."

"Old fashioned?" Joshua questioned.

"You can share your shake with your girlfriend, we won't care. Ten years isn't that big a difference to me."

Erica snickered as the waitress left.

"Old fashioned?"

"In the past, though it was common for an older man to marry a young woman, it was frowned upon for an older woman to date a younger man. I'm past forty and you are what? Thirty?"

"I'm actually about fifty five earth years, give or take." Joshua said in a low voice.

"Really? I guess that is one good thing about being a V. You all age very well. Wait a minute, how old is Lisa?"

"She is twenty."

"You had me worried there for a second."

A horn sounded outside and they both rose. Erica thanked the waitress, paid the bill and they both got into the car.

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They rode in silence the entire way home. Erica was going over what she would report in her mind. The lack of sleep from the past week, the stress of the day and the healing caused her to nod off. She awoke to Joshua's hand gently caressing her face. "You should wake up now. The driver is pulling into the building."

"Sorry, didn't mean to fall asleep," she sat up straight and wiped her mouth mortified. "Let alone on you. I didn't drool on you did I?"

"You were quite peaceful."

Paul was waiting in the parking garage and opened the door for her to exit the vehicle. "I'm glad you are safe. Agent Malik was discovered unconscious in the woods near where you were picked up. The V's volunteered a transport to get her medical attention quickly. One of them is still treating her now but hopefully she will be able to talk with us soon."

"We need to get this done quickly, Joshua needs to return to the mother-ship soon," Erica said.

Joshua nodded and glanced towards her as he held the door open, his gratitude evident in his eyes. If Malik regained consciousness Anna would send someone to pick him up. He needed to be out before then. Erica smiled back and squeezed his hand in assurance as they walked into the building.

They both debriefed and provided the bureau sketch artist descriptions of the men they saw in record time. Erica went through the song and dance of providing protection to the embassy for Joshua and they both left relieved at not being caught.

Her car was brought to her and she made sure to drive it past and pause outside the embassy just in case they ever checked the GPS and then continued on.

"You should drop me off around the corner," Joshua pointed to the nearest alley.

"You can stay at my place a little bit. I'm sure no one will check for you there."

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me Agent Evans."

"I still have to pick your brain for information." Erica continued to drive to her house. "There is tons of stuff I don't know about your people."

"What kind of information would you like?"

"Well, I know your hearts are on the left instead of the right but that information only helps me kill V's. Are there any non-lethal ways to disable? In close combat how can I fight back without having to break a neck? Humans usually are easy to hurt anywhere but the kidneys and shins are good targets. Do you have any points in particular that work?"

"I guess our tailbone would be considered a good target. We have to keep disconnecting them ever few months to fit in our human skin and if we recently did it the area stays sore. The stubs break easy if they are a few centimeters long as well."

"So a good kick in the butt will do the job, good to know." Erica smiled. "I've always wanted to know. Why do you call yourselves V's? I mean your species name in your own native language can't be visitor can it?"

"V is a conceptual translation. The initial of the English name for one of the Sauropods that evolved into us."

"You're descendants of dinosaurs? Let me guess: Velociraptor."

"Vulcanodon actually. Velociraptors had feathers."

"That means you are _from_ earth."

"Yes," Joshua nodded.

"Is that why you are here, to take back the planet?"

"I'm not sure why we are here really. Some do believe that earth belongs to use and we should take it back by force, others like me don't want that since we don't want to hurt humans. Anna, I have no idea what her agenda is. If it was her mother I'd be able to answer you but," Joshua paused.

"What about her mother?"

"There is something I have to tell you. Her mother planned on using humans to breed more of our kind without taxing her own system. Our society is dependent on queens to protect us. Most V's on the ships are workers, the rest are like me, scientists. Our brain capacity and creativity are higher but we aren't as useful in labor situations. Soldiers don't live among us because they are breed to fight and die. They are all male and have increased aggression, speed, strength, accelerated growth and short life spans. Any combination among ourselves always produces workers. Only a queen can bear a queen or scientist and lay warrior eggs. She can lay worker eggs too but that only happens if a queen starts her own colony."

"So she used humans to what?"

"Forty years ago we were losing a war and she couldn't produce warriors due to being pregnant with Anna. She wanted to breed warriors and had me experiment on humans back in the early 70's. The results weren't useful; they all looked human and didn't express any warrior traits. It was later discovered that they were in fact a danger to her reign. Some could breed warriors, scientists and queens as well as workers. The research was stopped almost twenty years ago but..." Joshua looked at Erica painfully.

"But what?" Erica questioned as she pulled into the driveway.

"The experiment was abandoned but not before several hybrids were conceived. They weren't harvested which means many were allowed to be born and raised here on earth."

"There are hybrids on earth?"

Joshua took a deep breath. "Including Tyler."

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	5. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

"What do you mean, Tyler? Tyler, my son, Tyler?"

"You were one of the humans experimented on. You were fertilized with gene pool RXV which means his DNA is derived from a male scientist, my DNA."

"Your DNA?"

"There were five main gene pools use in the experiment; female worker, male worker, female scientist, male scientist, and male warrior. As the head scientist my genes were the donor genes for the male scientist gene pool. The genes were altered for compatibility and manipulated to try to conceive a soldier and then combined with the human donor before implanted in a human female. Because the V DNA was male, your own egg was fertilized and then implanted." Joshua undid his seat belt. "I can walk back to the city if you don't want to drop me off."

Erica sat shell-shocked for a minute. It wasn't every day that you found out you were an experiment, that your child was half alien. "He is my son. I love him. It doesn't matter. I don't care. I can't..." she started to hyperventilate.

"Easy." Joshua unbuckled her belt and reached out. She flinched then grabbed for him. Her eyes bore into his, pleading for the right answer.

"Are you sure?"

"You were fertilized with gene pool RXV. R meaning male scientist, X meaning the Xyron group of genes were eliminated from my genome for successful hybridization and V means my Vertix genes were altered in an attempt to produce a warrior."

"I mean are you sure it's Tyler. That I'm the one?"

"I would need to compare your DNA with the Erica Evans on the file to be positive."

They got out of the car and walked into the house quietly. Joshua retrieved the cylinders from the kitchen and placed the remaining power spheres in one. He glanced over the information before shutting it down and moving the spheres to another one. Erica anxiously tried to read over his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I deleted the translation matrix just in case someone found it in your house."

She paced behind him as he skimmed information. After a minute he found what he was looking for and opened the file. The data scrolled down and he jotting down notes on a notepad.

"You need to get your DNA mapped so I can compare it to this file."

"The bureau has decided to have the healing center do our physicals this year and I'm due. I can ask to go in tomorrow."

"Try to get them to look at the genome. Tell them you are concerned with hereditary degenerative problems. Maybe Alzheimer or Diabetes. This will get them to put your results in the proper format. Have them print a copy for your records. I can then use it to compare your DNA with the data and confirm if you are the one or not."

"Oh God, what am I going to do? Does Anna know? Is that why she wants him so badly?"

"A byproduct of the process is that the genes are masked from a standard scan. Only bombarding the sample with a tetra-burst and then exposing it to gamma rays would reveal the true genome. Anna has no reason to do such a thing."

"He will be fine right? He won't sprout scales all of the sudden?"

Joshua shook his head. "As far as I can extrapolate, the only alteration is his life span is slightly longer than the average human, in fact, yours as well. I had to strengthen your cells structure via multiple types of hormesis to increase your chances of carrying to term. This was done because in the first trial 2/3rds miscarried before I could harvest at the 25th week."

"So the women never even know the baby was different?" Erica questioned.

"The mother or surrogate was lead to assumed a miscarriage."

"What gave you the right to mess with us?" Erica felt outrage at being a guinea pig. "We are sentient beings, we aren't lab rats."

"Each people have different circles of ethics. Even yours isn't as enlightened as you wish we were."

"Circle of ethics. I guess that is what it boils down to," Erica said remembering an old animal rights terror case.

"My people view humans like you view a beast of burden or a wild animal. Most 5th column, those that have never had encounters with humans, have more in common with a preservationist or activist than an abolitionist. It is rare to find one of us who sees you as equals, let alone willing to bond deeply with a human."

"So how many hybrids are on earth?" Erica calmed down and asked.

"The second trial created two a week over four months. If they all came to term, there would be thirty five." Joshua explained.

"And the first trial?"

"We checked all the subjects at week 25 and removed the child if present."

"That was back in the 70's?" she questioned.

"I believe 1970 through 1975."

"So it is possible some gave birth prematurely. Week 25 from fertilization means they would have been considered 27 weeks. That was viable even back then."

"It is possible. I didn't check the homes to see if the offspring had been born."

"That could explain Valerie." Erica said.

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The scan went well, Joshua had added a marker to feign the R6 so she wasn't injected with it. The workday passed slowly but she made it back home with her results, a few nerves and her sanity left in tact.

She kept going over in her mind the day of Tyler's accident. This whole mess would explain the medical results that ruined her marriage. Did she want it to be true? On the one hand it scared her but on the other it gave her peace of mind. The fact that Joshua was his father didn't escape her either. He was not just the one who experimented on her. By giving her her son in such a chilling method, could she hate him for it? Hating him would mean hating a part of Tyler and could she bear to do that? At least he was, after all, a good guy who cares about mankind. Maybe those traits aren't a bad thing to have in her son.

She walked into her house and handed the results to Joshua and he looked them over. He glanced over to his notes and back again.

"I'm sorry. They match. I wish I could..." Joshua tried to give her some sort of apology.

"I love my son, that will never change." Erica voiced the conclusion she came to before she walked through the door.

"I'm sorry either way. I'll go now."

"I wouldn't change anything which means I can't hate you for it either. Who knows who he would be if he was fully human." Erica grabbed the photo album and gestured for Joshua to sit down on the couch with her. "Maybe you should get to know your son." They spent the evening going over Tyler's photos as she told stories and they ate pizza.

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	6. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

The building they just hit had housed several of Anna's new toys. Unfortunately the building wasn't supposed to blow up with the target items and cops were not supposed to be in the area. Erica could hear the footsteps getting closer to their spot near the flower stand. Joshua tensed and grabbed her arm. "Let's head towards the coffee shop."

"We'll get caught if we run now," she replied.

"Won't they recognize you or me if we stay here?"

"Not if," she pulled him towards her and kissed him. He lost his balance and they stumbled into the wall behind her. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist and closed his eyes. The past several months had caused him get to know and appreciate this woman in his arms. She was a fighter with strong convictions. They had stepped up on the attacks and had set back a few of Anna's plans more than once. The 5th column was growing because of Erica, not just among the humans but his own people as well.

He gave her his loyalties. He had given her all the information he knew. He had taught her how to read and a few fighting moves, used his own body to show her places to disable him and his kind. She had nearly killed him when she applied one technique wrong but he persisted. He held her when she cried at Jack's death.

He had been willing to kill to protect her and he had not even met her. After he met her he had been willing to die for her because he thought her life meant more than his own, and that was before he held any feelings other than admiration for her. Now that he got to work side by side and know her, he was willing to live for her. As his blood pumped through him as they kissed it dawned on him that he had fallen for her without even realizing it.

"I think they are gone," Joshua gasped and broke the kiss reluctantly. "We should be getting back to the others."

"I think Cowgirl can handle Hobbes."

"She doesn't appreciate that nickname you know."

Erica snickered and they both started towards her car. "Sorry about that. The kiss I mean. It was the first thing that popped into my mind. I hope Leah doesn't mind."

"We aren't a couple you know."

"I just assumed, never mind." Erica ducked into the car and started the engine. "Hopefully Anna will think twice about pulling another stunt like that again." They discussed the mission as she headed down the street.

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"Did you grow an inch while we were gone?" Erica picked up the speed demon that zoomed towards her. Already the size of a human 6 year old, Ryan's son Michael was growing fast. "Boy, are you getting big."

"Did the surveillance pick up anything useful?" Joshua asked Ryan as he entered.

"Nothing unusual. Lisa didn't have anything useful to say either. It's been very quiet actually. The explosion didn't make the news, Anna is claiming it was a simple fire."

"Have Hobbes and Leah come back from their recon?" Erica asked from around the boy.

"I'm right here sweetheart." Hobbes said from the other room.

"Looks like your sister did a little more than destroy what she was suppose to. She took out the entire floor." Erica glared.

"Take it up with her, I'm not her master."

"Is she back yet?" Joshua asked.

"She should be back in a half hour. She was suppose to head towards the tunnel before heading back."

"Has she called in?" Erica questioned.

"Yes, she made it out fine." Ryan answered.

"When she gets back maybe we can go out and celebrate."

"We can do that when Tyler is standing with us." Joshua placed his hand on Erica's shoulder knowing that her son was a sore spot in this whole fight. Anna had turned Tyler against man and Lisa was doing everything she could, short of confessing, that he was on the wrong side.

"Look at what I can do." Everyone looked down and watched as Michael stood on his hands.

"So, who wants a PB&J?" Erica asked when the boy righted himself.

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Erica headed out the door with Michael to buy groceries. Leah was helping home school him but everyone pitched in to help raise him. Ryan was still trying to fight Anna's hold on him, Bliss always hit him hard and sometimes he would break his restraints trying to get out.

Leah took Ryan and moved him to the chain connected to his bed. He was weak and drained from his last bout but they didn't take any chances, he wouldn't let them. He swore he would never again be his son's enemy.

Joshua looked at Hobbes. Kyle disliked Joshua and kept harassing him whenever he could. Hobbes had stumbled upon the secret of Tyler's parentage a few months ago and chose to hold it against the alien ever since.

Today was no exception. "So how did things go today?"

"Fine, Ruth took the lead and we hung back."

"I'm not talking about my sister, she can handle herself; I was more interested in you."

"Why?"

"Maybe because of this traffic camera." Hobbes turned the monitor and on it Joshua could see the kiss in black and white.

"We needed to go unnoticed and she came up with the idea," Joshua sputtered.

"Since we are still trying to fit you with a last name, maybe you should try Casanova."

"What do you have against me?" Joshua said.

"Nothing, You want to date go ahead."

"I have never been anything but professional with Agent Evans."

"Doesn't look that way." Hobbes pointed at the screen to emphasize his point.

"I didn't expect her to kiss me. What was I suppose to do, runaway? I would have screwed everything up then."

"Oh come on lover boy, you can't tell me you didn't enjoy that? What do you want, Leah as your wife with Erica on the side?"

"There is nothing between me and Doctor Pearlman and I would never do anything to hurt Erica." Joshua replied.

"But you are willing to hurt Leah is that it? She deserves better than that."

"What are you blabbing about?" Leah asked from the doorway.

"I'm just pointing out to Casanova here that while he is putting the moves on another woman, you are waiting in the wings for him to come to his senses."

"What?" Joshua and Leah said in unison.

"I don't have feelings for him." Leah recovered first.

"Why not?" Hobbes retorted.

"Because, I like **you**, you big fool!" Leah shouted as Erica opened the door looking for her car keys.

"It's about time." Michael said smiling, as Erica stood stunned.

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Joshua pushed the cart with Michael inside while Erica picked out a tray of pork chops. He had opted to go with the pair so that Leah and Kyle could have a good talk alone.

"So... She had the hots for Hobbes!" Erica finally broke. They had not broached the topic in the car. Her mind was a whirl at the news. "I though she liked you."

"Apparently Kyle thought so too."

"And that whole mess...?"

"Started because he was upset at me and our kiss."

"Why? I know he likes her. Or was I wrong there?"

"He though she liked me and I was going to hurt her and use you." Joshua grabbed a bag of chips as they continued down the isle. "Are you okay with this?"

"Sure. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Leah and I thought you had feelings for him."

"No." Erica shook her head and gave a small scoff. She glanced quickly at him before changing the subject. "I think that about does it. We should head to the checkout. You," she smiled at Michael. "You get one candy from the check out stand, **one only**. Make a peep and you lose it, got it?"

Michael nodded emphatically and smiled. He smiled brighter when he saw that King Size were available and made his choice at the last minute.

"He will be a handful to get into bed tonight." Erica commented. Though she had her own place she spent most her nights at the hideout because the rest of them were on the run and had to stay there. Even Hobbes' sister had to give up her place because Marcus was hounding her.

"I'm sure you will get him down. If not, Hobbes will force him to sleep with some sort of made up threat."

"Probably along the lines of 'no more fruit loops', he will eat them all." Erica laughed and opened the trunk hatch. She didn't move quickly enough and it smacked her in the head. "Crap!"

"Are you okay?" Joshua hooked his leg around the cart so it wouldn't move and sat Erica down on the bumper. He leaned over and looked at her head. He gently fingered her face and brushed the hair out of the way. Her breath caught in her throat as she gazed into his eyes.

"Just kiss already!" Michael exclaimed breaking the trance.

Erica laughed and looked Joshua in the eye again. She saw the love swirl behind them and, even with Tyler's fate still up in the air and the ships hovering over the planet, she felt safe for the first time in a long time. "I think I'll do just that," and she wrapped her arms around his neck to kiss him as Michael smiled.

"Finally!"

FIN


End file.
